September 2013 - May 2016

Muslim-Science.Com Task Forces Initiative: Shaping the Debate on Science, Religion, and Society in the Islamic World

Grant ID

43721

Project Leader(s)

Athar Osama

Grantee(s)

Technomics International Ltd.

Grant Amount

$199,710

Funding area

Philosophy and Theology

Department

Philosophy and Theology

As Arab Spring swept across parts of the Islamic World promising an end to dictatorial regimes, making new political freedoms possible, and ushering in an era of open debate and dissent to millions, a greater prize of transforming the Islamic World into a Spring of Knowledge is well within reach.

Countries across the Islamic World suffer from a number of common problems, symptoms, and challenges ranging from a shared history, culture, and religion, to socio-economic circumstances, and lack of appropriate space within the political and civic spheres for dialogue and debate.

A scientific culture rests on critical inquiry and open dialogue that must draw upon varied voices - of natural scientists, social scientists, philosohers, historians, theologians, civil society leaders, and policy-makers - to deliberate on matters of critical importance to science and the society.

The Muslim-Science.Com's Task Forces Initiative seeks to create - initially - 2 Task Forces that bring together a diverse set of respected voices to deliberate on the Big Questions confronting science in the Islamic World and hence re-claim the narrative on science from within the Islamic community rather than being imposed from outside.

Each Task Force will bring together 8-10 eminent - and sometimes emerging - voices from across the Islamic World to ponder, discuss, debate, and achieve a consensus on a matter of importance to the development of science and a scientific culture within the Islamic World. Chaired by a prominent thought leader and hosted at a reputed institution, each Task Force shall result in a final report that will seek to jumpstart a broader societal dialogue within the Islamic World.

This dialogue is so critical to the revival of science - a scientific rennaisance of sorts - in the Islamic World and to the battle of Islam's soul.